Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Tag archive

workers compensation - page 3

Danny Burgess: ‘Absolutely, the injured worker is a big concern here’

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The workers’ compensation fix that emerged from the House Commerce Committee last week was the product of hours — and hours — of testimony, debate, and negotiations. The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee staged marathon hearings in which all the stakeholders — insurers, employers, attorneys, unions, and more — hashed out their differences. Then the Commerce Committee spent another nearly two hours in debate. We caught up with I&B chairman Danny Burgess immediately following the Commerce vote and ducked into a…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House’s workers comp package emerges from committee

in Statewide by

The House workers’ compensation package survived hearings before the Commerce Committee Thursday, including business-friendly amendments that would leave injured workers paying their own attorney fees if they pursue meritless claims. One by one, the panel gave voice approval to three amendments offered by House Insurance & Banking chairman Danny Burgess, who has managed the underlying bill’s progress. The final vote on the bill was 20-14. The only Democrat voting “Yes” was Richard Stark. “I believe this bill does strike a…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

AIF lauds proposed revisions to House’s workers’ compensation reform

in Statewide by

Associated Industries of Florida chief Tom Feeney had praise Thursday for amendments that would bring the House workers’ compensation reform bill closer to business interests’ ideal. “AIF today calls on members of the Florida House Commerce Committee to adopt the amendments to HB 7085 that will go a long way in rectifying our state’s wounded workers’ compensation system,” Feeney said in a written statement. “While there is still more work to be done to make Florida’s workers’ compensation system whole…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

New House workers’ comp amendments go tougher on attorney fees

in Statewide by

The House Commerce Committee will take up a workers’ compromise amendment package Thursday that takes a more aggressive approach to attorney fees than did previous versions of the legislation. The amendments to HB 7085 retain language allowing deviations from the statutory attorney fee schedule that link trial lawyer’s compensation to benefits secured through claims litigation. But it shrinks the maximum hourly fee from $250 in the existing language to $150. Such awards would be tied to customary fees charged by defense…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Senate panel OKs workers’ comp bill opposed by insurance industry

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted 7-1 Monday to approve legislation that would require workers’ compensation carriers to compete on price rather than propose premium levels through a common ratings agency, and that would allow workers to pay attorneys hourly rates if they take insurers to court. The ‘No” vote was by Sen. George Gainer, a Republican from Panama City. The next stop is the Appropriations Committee. SB 1582, by Rob Bradley, would convert Florida into a “loss cost” state…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House Speaker: Rick Scott’s focus on Enterprise Florida is misdirected

in Statewide by

Gov. Rick Scott should spend less time talking about Enterprise Florida, and more seeking reform of the workers compensation system and assignment of benefits abuse, if he really cares about protecting jobs, House Speaker Richard Corcoran said Thursday. “We’re talking about a tremendous amount of bandwidth going to Enterprise Florida, going to Visit Florida,” Corcoran told reporters during a wide-ranging news conference. If the House prevails in its bid to kill Enterprise Florida and other economic incentive programs, and clips Visit Florida’s wings, the…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House committee rejects attorney-fee amendment, OKs workers’ comp bill

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee voted Tuesday narrowly against requiring workers to pay their own attorney fees in disputes over benefits. The tally went 8-7 against an amendment by Republican Jay Fant to scrap most of a proposed committee bill addressing escalating workers’ compensation premiums. The panel proceeded to approve the underlying bill, 14-1. Fant was the “no” vote. Even members who voted for the amendment said they would support the bill in hopes of making improvements later. Fant’s language would…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 2 3 4 5 … 8
Go to Top